Matt Chandler brings an edifying message for the Church on the importance of remembering Jesus and running toward the things He has for us in a world of uncertainty and suffering. Though we tend to struggle for control and shy away from trials, we must trust Jesus is greater and tie ourselves to Him, putting our faith in Him rather than ourselves.
Key Takeaway
If you continually look inwardly for your faith, you will not run toward Him; you will run from Him. You must look to Jesus.
We know that God is loving and gentle, but did we forget He sits on the throne? He is Holy, Holy, Holy, and His holiness destroys everything and anything unholy.
But Christ takes the wrath of God off of us, and His righteousness replaces wrath.
In our journey with Christ, we must do two things:
1. Remember
- There is a bigger story here than just you and me; the Creator has been at work since the very beginning.
- The success or failure of our faith cannot be determined by the outcome of our lives.
- One of the surest ways to descend into confusion, apprehension, and spiritual weakness is to make our faith the object of our scrutiny. 'Am I really trusting?' 'Is my faith sincere?' 'Is my faith strong enough?' etc. Questions like those have their place (2 Cor. 13:5), but if they become a consistent pattern, we will find ourselves more and more depending on our faith rather than the object of our faith.
- Just as a rope affixed to nothing has no power to hold us up, so too faith in and of itself has no power to sustain us. Faith is not made to be looked at; it is made to look by. Faith does not exist to point to itself but to another, namely, to the 'Originator and Perfector of faith, the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. Would I live by faith? Would I run the race in faith? Would I see my faith endure to the end? Then let me not look at Faith herself, but at the One to whom she points...let me fix the eyes of my soul again and again upon the One who reigns from the Cross.
2. Run
- Hindrances—This is interesting because there is a distinction between hindrances and sin. Hindrances are things that crush the joy of Jesus out of you.
- Morally neutral loves
- Lesser loves can leave you full without leaving room for Jesus
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
- Endurance is developed, and the text is calling us to be patient and trusting perseverance despite hardship.
- The race is not a sprint but a long-distance race requiring resolute determination. The goal is to complete it successfully, not to overtake or defeat others.
Discussion Questions
Do you often forget about the holiness of God? How does that directly impact your faith?
How have you allowed the successes or failures in your life to influence your faith?
What have you been trying to control in your life? Do you trust that God has it?
How have you seen the faithfulness of God through your suffering?
How has the strength of your faith been focused inwardly rather than on Jesus?
Do you genuinely desire God's plans for your life over your plans? Why or why not?
"A rope has no power unless it's tied to something solid." What/who have you been tying your life to?
What have you been using to fill you up or distract you that isn't leaving room for Jesus in your life?
What does Matthew 5:6 say will happen to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness?
What are some tangible steps you can take toward filling yourself with the things of God?
Scripture References
